The Child Lost
by baichan
Summary: A bundle of skin and hair wrapped up in a blanket.  It took a minute for Nataliya to register what it was.  A baby. Oh god someone had left a baby in the snow!  Across the continent a brother cried over his lost baby sister.
1. Chapter 1

Nataliya was walking out the door of her brother's house into the unforgiving winter of North-Eastern Europe when she heard a giggle. She looked around with her usual bored face as she looked for the source of the laugh. Her bored frown deepened slightly and her eye brows pulled down just the tiniest in confusion.  
>Who would be giggling in a snow storm like this?<br>Suddenly Nataliya had a feeling; it pulled her toward the side of Ivan's house until she was in front of a pile of snow.

She started to dig franticly.

_Why am I doing this? There is nothing out here. Nothing under the snow-_

Her thoughts froze as her nails scraped against something.  
>She hurriedly brushed the rest of the snow away and she saw-<p>

A basket.

She gingerly picked it up and opened it.  
>A bundle of skin and hair wrapped up in a blanket.<br>It took a minute for Nataliya to register what it was.

A baby. Oh god someone had left a baby in the snow!

Natalie's frown deepened.  
>She put her hand to the baby's cheek.<p>

It was still breathing!

Her eyes widened and she hurried back to the front of her brother's house.

Ivan and Katyusha were sitting by the fire. Katyusha stood and grabbed her fur coat and ushanka.  
>"Well, this visit has been pleasant brother. Good-bye."<br>"Good-bye Katyusha, but are you sure you wish to go? I can hear the wind howling outside, and it is quite a ways to the nearest airport."  
>"Ah, thanks brother, but if that's so then I should still get Nataliya before she gets too far."<br>Before Katyusha could even open the door, Nataliya barged in and rushed toward the fire, not even bothering to close the door, that open, invited a howling wind of cold air and little flurries of snow to come in.

Katyusha hurried to close the door, fighting against the wind.

"Sister? I thought you went home, what are you doing here?" Katyusha asked once she closed the door and brushed the snow off of her.  
>"Katyusha, can you go heat up some milk?" Nataliya asked the huddling over something so neither Katyusha nor Ivan could what it was she was holding.<br>"Why?"  
>Nataliya lifted her head and moved so they could see the bundle in her arms.<br>Her face seemed passively bored, but her siblings could see the anger in her eyes and the way her eyebrows drew together ever so slightly in worry of the tiny bundle.

They both gasped.

A baby!

Katyusha immediately went to start heating the milk and Ivan went to sit closer to Natalie and the bundle.  
>"Where did you find it?"<br>Nataliya's frown deepened and her eyes flashed in anger.

"_In the snow!"_ she practically spat.

Her hands itched towards the knife she kept strapped to her thigh.  
>She sighed and moved her arm to hold the baby closer to her, she didn't know who left the baby out, so she couldn't harm them in her anger.<br>"Is it still alive?" Ivan asked looking at the tiny blue lips of the small creature.  
>Nataliya's face softened, she nodded.<br>Ivan sighed in relief, and then he smiled.  
>"Is it a boy or a girl? Also if its clothes are wet you should change its out of them."<br>Nataliya nodded and went about changing the baby out of its- her soaked clothes.  
>"A girl." she said when Ivan came back with a blanket and a piece of cloth.<br>"We can use this as a diaper, da?"  
>Nataliya looked as he held up the piece of cloth.<br>She nodded, taking it from him, and set about trying to form it into a diaper.  
>When she was done Katyusha had come back with the milk and Ivan had explained to her what they knew about the baby girl.<br>"I'm done; I tied the sides though since we don't have safety pins, we'll just have to hope she doesn't untie them."

They nodded.

Nataliya held the baby to her chest.  
>Ivan looked at the basket.<p>

He saw something gold flash against the cream blanket.

He picked it up.

It was embroidery.

"Felicia…"

The baby awoke.  
>Her eyes wide pools of Amber, her small pink lips babbling confused mumbles, he tiny nose scrunching.<br>Nataliya's eyes widened her face flushed lightly, and her eyes softened. A small smile pulled at her lips.

_So adorable._

Now that the baby was a normal color, they saw that she had naturally tanned skin and her hair now dried went a little below her ears, curling in loose ringlets.  
>One strand of hair grew down below her face and curled away from her face in a dramatic curl.<p>

"Felicia." Ivan said louder.

The baby turned to look at him and giggled.  
>Nataliya's eyes widened it was the giggle she had heard earlier, but how? When she had found her the child was unconscious.<br>"Nataliya, embroidered on the blanket is Felicia; I think that's her name."

Nataliya glared at him.

Ivan shivered, his baby sister never glared at him.

"The people who abandoned her gave her that name."  
>At that Katyusha spoke up.<br>"They might be dead."  
>Nataliya looked at her.<br>"Maybe sister, but she now is with us, so we should name her. She is young enough; she shouldn't be able to remember her name. Besides someone had to have  
>abandoned her."<br>Katyusha reluctantly agreed.  
>"But sister, it's all she has of the brief old life; of her family she will never know." Ivan argued.<br>"Exactly, she'll never know."  
>"Sister, we can give her a new middle name and give her the last name Braginski.<br>Nataliya pursed her lips but nodded.  
>She looked at the giggling bundle that squirmed in her arms.<br>"How about Feodora, instead of Felicia?" Nataliya suggested weakly trying to get her brother to change his mind.  
>Ivan shook his head.<br>Nataliya sighed but gave in.  
>Katyusha spoke up, "How about Anya as a middle name? Or Inya?"<br>Nataliya shook her head.  
>"How about Lubochka?" Nataliya asked.<br>Katyusha smiled. Love, what a perfect name for the child.  
>"I like that." Katyusha said.<p>

Ivan smiled too.  
>"So do I." he said.<p>

"Felicia Lubochka Braginski." Nataliya whispered.

She bounced the child lightly in her arms.

Felicia giggled.

Nataliya smiled sweetly.

"Lubochka, Felicia Lubochka Braginksi."

Nataliya's face went back to its normal bored expression.  
>"She is staying with us, right brother? Right sister?" Nataliya asked her voice pitching slightly revealing her desperation to keep the little baby in her arms.<br>"Of course she's staying. She's family now."

Across the continent a brother cried over his lost baby sister.

* * *

><p><strong>IMPORTANT! IT EXPLAINS STUFF!<strong>

**1: ****Nataliya- Belarus**

**Katyusha- Ukraine**

**Ivan- Russia**

**Felicia- N. Italy**

**2: Yes Italy is a girl and I don't know why she is just becoming a personifacation. I will eventually get to that.**

**3: There is no set time for this**

**4: In Italian Felicia means happiness; joy, In Russian Lubochka means love!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Baichan: Yay! Another chapter!**

* * *

><p><em>Unfinished hot chocolate is left on the kitchen table<br>__And my little soldier is already snuffling in his sleep  
><em>_As usual, he will dream about the distant worlds  
><em>_Planets, palm trees, city, and air balloons._

_A night fairy, like a butterfly, will fly to the on the light,  
><em>_And will quietly open the door to the world of fairytales and sweets  
><em>_A mysterious sultan will take you to his carnival  
><em>_And a strict captain will let you stand at the helm  
><em>_  
>Together you will find a pirate treasure among the underground caches<br>__And rescue a young princess in the Alpine glaciers  
><em>_She'll dance waltz with you on the fairy ball  
><em>_And a nude boy will shoot you with his magic arrow_

_Then all the guests will go to frolic in the moonlit garden,  
><em>_There wanders Batman, Robin Hood and the Marquis de Sade himself.  
><em>_Your princess is happy. And both witch and a vampire  
><em>_Forgetting all their old quarrels, and embracing, are drinking kefir.  
><em>_  
>May the shadows outside breathe,<br>__They won't hear us._

_-Ногу Свело - Колыбельная песня/Nogu Svelo - Lullaby_

* * *

><p>Nataliya sat in the child's room while Felicia played.<p>

She held the princess doll close and laughed at the fancy clothes.

"What's so funny Lubochka?" Nataliya asked.  
>"Mama, this doll's clothes are silly!" Felicia shouted in a high pitched voice.<br>Nataliya chuckled.

"Don't you want to be a princess? Or a царевна?" **(Czarevna)**

Felicia gave her best determined face.  
>"Нет!" She shouted harshly. <strong>(No)<br>**"Why not little царевна?" Nataliya teased slyly. **(Czarevna)  
><strong>Felicia pouted and tossed the dressed up fabric doll on her little bed.  
>"I want to be a soldier! Like Papa! And fight for the Motherland!" Felicia shouted, her loose curls bouncing against her back.<br>Nataliya scrunched up her nose at the accent that her little Lubochka had. It was strange, Felicia had only really ever heard them talk.  
>Nataliya shook her head to rid the thoughts, looking back at her Lubochka she smiled.<br>"A soldier? Then what of the princess? Who shall she be?" Nataliya asked teasingly.  
>"I don't know, but I will save the царевна!" Felicia shouted standing up and pointing to the princess doll. <strong>(Czarevna)<br>**She reached up and grabbed the doll and tossed it to Nataliya, before she too jumped onto Nataliya.  
>"Сохранить царевна!" <strong>(Save the Czarevna!)<br>**Nataliya grabbed the doll and lifted it as far away from Felicia as she could.

Their laughing could be heard from the hallway.

"Brother, I don't think Nataliya has ever laughed like that." Katyusha whispered softly to her brother.  
>"I know. At least not since we were children and lived in a warm house." Ivan spoke quietly.<br>Katyusha nodded.  
>"What are we to do when Felicia grows older? How are we to explain it to her when her life is so much shorter than ours?" Katyusha asked her voice betraying the panic<br>she felt.

Ivan moved over to hug his sister.

"Don't worry sister, I will do anything I can to prevent that child from dying." Ivan said, eyes glued on Felicia as she tossed the princess doll in the air excitedly.  
>Katyusha glanced over at her brother worriedly.<br>"Be careful brother."

Ivan said nothing, but he removed himself from the comforting gesture he had given his sister, seeing as she was mostly past her concern, and walked farther into the darkness of the hall toward his room, his boots clicking quietly in the hall.  
>Katyusha looked worriedly in the darkness after her brother, then back at her sister.<p>

She hoped Ivan could figure something out.

That child was Nataliya's whole world.

She was shaken out of her thoughts by the sudden quiet.  
>Where was Felicia's laughter, or high pitched voice?<br>She glanced into the child's room to see that Felicia had fallen asleep.

Nataliya was smoothing back the loose, brown curls away from the cherub like face.  
>She gently picked up the little four and half year old, and rocked her back and forth gently, like she did when Felicia was just a child.<br>She put the young child in her bed and smoothed the blankets, before she left she gave her Lubochka a peck on her forehead.

Felicia looked around.  
><em>It was sunny, and there were fields with green as emerald grass, and the water from where she could see was a sapphire blue.<br>__Where was she?  
><em>"_Sorellina!" a voice called out behind her. __**(Little sister!)  
><strong>_"_Hm?" Felicia turned to see a boy of about twenty coming towards her.  
><em>"_Sorellina vieni con me! Se ti piace possiamo andare a mangiare pasta e fare il bagno in acqua!" __**(Little sister come with me! If you like we can go eat pasta and swim in the water!)  
><strong>_"_Che cosa? Chi sei?_ _Dove siamo?" __Felicia asked. __**(What? Who are you? Where am I?)  
><strong>__She put a hand on her throat.  
><em>_What language was she speaking?  
><em>"_Io sono del Sud Italia! Tuo fratello maggiore!" the boy said, "Alcune persone mi chiamano Romano, ma puoi chiamarmi Lovino!" __**(I am South Italy! Your big brother!' 'Some people call me Romano but you can call me Lovino!)  
><strong>_"_Dove siamo?" Felicia repeated her unanswered question. __**(Where am I?)  
><strong>_"_In Italia!" Lovino shouted before everything started to fade.  
><em>_  
>Italia, Italia, Italia-<em>

It was morning and Nataliya had gone to wake Felicia.  
>When she walked into the child's room she found her with tears streaming down her face.<p>

"Italia, Italia, Italia-"

"Lubochka!" Nataliya said sharply and shook the infant gently, "Wake up Lubochka!"  
>Felicia opened her eyes and gasped sharply.<p>

"_It's too cold, so cold."_

Nataliya picked Felicia up and rocked her gently as she started crying harder.

Across the continent a boy woke up to find himself crying.  
>"Is that what she would have looked like? Would have sounded like? La mia sorellina! Accidenti a te Inghilterra! Accidenti a te l'America!" <strong>(My little sister! <strong>**Damn you England! Damn you America!)  
><strong>He started sobbing uncontrollably, grabbing his knees and rocking back and forth.  
>His heart hurt.<br>Where was the other half of his heart?  
>Where was his little sister?<p>

Nataliya was bouncing Felicia in her arms trying to get her to calm down.  
>Her cries had caught the attention of Katyusha and Ivan who had rushed over.<br>"What's wrong?" Katyusha asked.  
>"I don't know. She was crying in her sleep and saying 'Italia' over and over. When I woke her up she started sobbing and crying out." Nataliya said, her voice rushing in<br>panic and confusion.  
>"Did she have a nightmare? I did research and if the times she lived with a different family were bad enough she might be traumatized."<p>

Katyusha and Nataliya were silent.

Was her short time with her last family that bad?  
>Felicia was starting to calm, and Nataliya's gentle bouncing turned into a slow paced rocking back and forth.<br>"Do you want to tell me why you started crying?" Nataliya asked.  
>Felicia had a sleepy look on her face as she whispered out, "C-cold, it was so cold."<br>Nataliya's gentle rocking stopped completely.  
>"W-what?" she asked.<p>

"The snow."

Nataliya's face went blank.

"Mama?" Felicia asked, sniffling every now and then.  
>Nataliya shook her head slightly to get rid of her thoughts.<br>"What is it Lubochka?" Nataliya asked.  
>"Can I go back to bed for a little longer?" Felicia asked, yawing at the end.<br>Nataliya smiled sadly, "Sure Lubochka."  
>Nataliya put Felicia back in bed and closed the door quietly.<br>Katyusha and Ivan out in the hall waiting for her.

**"You don't think she was talking about-"**

"How could she that was years ago?" Nataliya interrupted Katyusha.  
>"Sister, she almost died in the snow. It's probably what she was talking about." Ivan morbidly.<br>Nataliya nodded, quiet in her thoughts.

What if she hadn't found Felicia?

It was a few hours later when Felicia awoke.  
>She slipped out of bed easily enough and grabbed her brown ragged teddy bear.<br>She didn't have a lot of toys, just a small basket full, and most of them were made from clothe by Katyusha and sometimes Nataliya helped, but her teddy bear was  
>special.<p>

All of her parents had pitched in to buy it for her.

It was so nice too, it's fur felt like silk, and it was a little smaller than her three year old body.  
>Its black button eyes were carefully stitched and it had a red ribbon tied perfectly by Nataliya. Her name was stitched in gold on the ribbon, small letters embodied perfectly by Katyusha.<p>

It had been Ivan's idea.

She adored the stuffed bear and took the utmost care with it.

She walked into the kitchen were Nataliya and Katyusha were sitting.  
>Nataliya was reading a book and Katyusha was looking at a photo album of their small family.<br>"Mama? Mami? Can we have pasta tonight?"  
>Katyusha and Nataliya looked up.<br>"Sure, Lubochka. That shouldn't be a problem. Right Katyusha?"  
>"Nope, no problem." Katyusha said.<br>"Would like some блины?" Katyusha asked. **(pancakes)  
><strong>"Da, can I have black krim jam?"  
>Katyusha laughed.<br>"I will never understand your strange obsession with tomatoes. Wouldn't you rather have peach jam?"  
>"Нет!" Felicia shouted hugging her bear. <strong>(No!)<br>**Katyusha chuckled and Nataliya smiled.  
>"After breakfast would you like to go to the store and pick out ingredients for pasta?"<br>"Si, si!" Felicia shouted.

Nataliya and Katyusha froze.

They gave each other uneasy looks.

Katyusha just shook her head.

What a strange child.

Katyusha pushed the shopping cart with Felicia in it down the aisle.  
>The four and a half year old swung her legs excitedly.<br>Felicia thought back to the continuation of her dream.  
><em><br>She was in a home.  
><em>"_Felicia." a man's voice boomed.  
><em>_She was about to turn when she was suddenly picked up by strong, tanned arms.  
><em>_The man that was holding her had an intimidating stature but his face was kind.  
><em>"_Ciao__?" she said, her eyes wide in curiosity. __**(Hello?)  
><strong>_"_Would you like to make pasta with me?" he asked.  
><em>_Felicia nodded.  
><em>"_Great!" he shouted, his voice booming, "Come, I'll teach you how to make Alfredo sauce!"  
><em>_Felicia smiled, even though she wasn't sure what Alfredo was._

"Mami! Those!"

She was pointing to the black peppers.

Katyusha looked confused but she grabbed them.

"Ah, Mami! We have butter and eggs right? And flour, and salt? Right?"  
>Katyusha chuckled.<br>"Yes Felicia, we have all those things at home."  
>Felicia nodded and scanned the store.<p>

What else.

"_Lots of heavy cream!"_

"Heavy cream! Lots of heavy cream!"

Katyusha laughed and grabbed the cream.  
>"Uh, cornmeal and-"<br>Katyusha chuckled.

"Felicia, since you seem so sure of what you're doing just point and I'll grab it."

Felicia nodded.

It was when they were home that Katyusha realized they didn't have any noodles.  
>"Ah, Felicia I'm afraid we won't be able to make pasta." Katyusha said, abashed.<br>"Why not?" Felicia whined eyes wide.  
>"Uh, I'm afraid that, I forgot the noodles…"<br>"Oh! That's okay! We can make the noodles!" Felicia exclaimed excitedly.  
>"Uh, okay."<p>

One mess, two people covered in flour, and an hour and a half later they had made Fettuccine Alfredo.

Ivan and Nataliya sat at the dining room table when Katyusha came in carrying the pasta dish, Felicia running excitedly by her legs.  
>"Ah, be careful Felicia!" Katyusha said with a smile.<br>Felicia giggled and ran towards her seat by Nataliya.  
>"It looks wonderful sister!" Ivan said.<br>Katyusha giggled.  
>"Felicia made most of it." Katyusha said.<br>They looked at Felicia who was basically shoving pasta into her mouth.  
>"Slow down Lubochka, you'll choke."<br>Felicia giggled but slowed down.

"I love pasta!" she said once she swallowed her last bite down.

Katyusha laughed, "I can tell!"  
>Nataliya nodded, patting her stomach feeling full.<br>Ivan smiled.

They all thought something along the terms of, "What a lovely dinner."

* * *

><p><strong>1: Black krim- it's a tomato that grows in Russia<strong>

**2:Yes, they live together in Russia in Ivan's house.**

**3:They live in a rural place in Russia, thats why their is no nearby toy store and it tkes them forever to get to store**

**4: The Czarevna is the daughter of the Czar... I think**

**Any other questions just ask me!**

**Please review! It motivates me to write! And mkes me happy!**


	3. Chapter 3

_Come on boys come on girls  
><em>_In this crazy crazy world  
><em>_You're the diamonds you're the pearls  
><em>_Let's make a new tomorrow  
><em>_Today  
><em>_  
>Wake up slow down<br>__Do nothing right now  
><em>_Breathe in breathe out  
><em>_Did we forget how  
><em>_To live to dream  
><em>_And what it all means  
><em>_It's like we don't care_

_-A Friend in London - A New Tomorrow_

* * *

><p>"Happy birthday Lubochka!" Nataliya said as she gently shook Felicia.<p>

Felicia opened her eyes and yawned.  
>"Birthday?" Felicia said slowly.<p>

"Yes Lubochka, your five!" Nataliya said, a small smile on her face as she laughed inwardly.

Felicia smiled sleepily and lifted her arms.

Nataliya actually chuckled out loud at that, but picked Felicia up anyway and carried her into the kitchen where her few presents, Katyusha, and Ivan were.  
>Nataliya put her down in a seat at the table.<br>Felicia more awake peeked at the small pile of presents.  
>Katyusha laughed at the newly five year old's excitement at the gifts.<p>

"Breakfast first then you can open them."

Felicia whines a little but smiles as chocolate chip блины. **(pancakes)  
><strong>"Chocolate?" she says excitedly.  
>"Da!" Katyusha said. <strong>(Yes!)<br>**"Yay!" Felicia cheered as they are set down in front of her.

Katyusha and Ivan chuckle as Felicia devours the rare treat of chocolate.  
>Nataliya smiled, "Slow down, savor the treat my little Lubochka."<br>Felicia looked up innocently, but notably slowed down a little.  
>When she was done she looked at everyone else.<p>

"Can I open my gifts now?" Felicia said, eyes wide with excitement.

"Da, just let me clean up!" Katyusha said as she took Felicia's plate.  
>Felicia grabbed a small gift wrapped in red paper.<br>Once Katyusha sat back down Felicia ripped the paper off of her first present.

Felicia gasped, eyes wide in awe.

"I-it's, it's just like Papa!" she shouted staring at the round wooden doll being careful not to drop it.

It was beautiful.

It depicted her Papa with his light purple scarf and his brown with beige colored fur ushanka.  
>His eyes were carefully painted purple and his ashen silver hair painted more simply.<br>He was holding a sunflower but had extremely detailed snowflakes scattered sparsely around him.  
>His beige jacket was also painted, the medals carefully detailed.<br>His brown shoes peeked out from beneath his jacket.  
>A pipe lay near his feet.<br>Behind him was a checkered white, red, and dark blue background, and on the lines there would sometimes be a golden accent line.  
>On the other side of the doll, her Papa was painted wearing traditional Russian clothes and his scarf.<p>

"It's beautiful." She whispered.

Katyusha chuckled, "Open it."

Felicia looked at her confused before carefully twisting the doll.

It opened.

"Another doll?" she said mostly to herself.

It looked like her Mami.

The hair was also an ashen silver color, but the pins and yellow headband.  
>Her blue eyes stared back at Felicia.<br>She was wearing the clothes she wore when she was farming, the overalls, button-up white shirt, and big blue bow.  
>The pants of her overalls wear tucked in brown boots.<br>She had a basket of eggs in the crook of one arm, and a pitch fork in the other.  
>On the other side she was painted wearing a traditional Ukrainian dress, a beautiful wreathe of flowers and leaves on her head.<br>The background was a light blue and yellow.  
>The accent color was a navy blue line placed strategically all around the painting.<p>

Felicia glanced up at Katyusha.

She looked back down at the doll and carefully twisted it.

She picked up the slightly smaller doll.

"Mama!" she shouted.

The doll had her Mama painted in her usual dress and apron except two bows were painted at the bottom.  
>Her golden hair flowed beautifully down her back with her usual white bow in her hair.<br>Her eyes a slightly darker blue than her Mami's peered back at her.  
>She was holding the knife usually strapped to her thigh.<br>On the back she was shown wearing a dress that matched the traditional Ukrainian dress that her Mami wore, except instead of a wreathe, flower's wear weaved  
>randomly in her hair.<br>The background was red and green, the accent color being in the form of white dots.

"So pretty." Felicia whispered.

Her family smiled warmly at her.

"There's another one Lubochka."

Felicia twisted open the doll.

The last doll was the smallest and when she tried to twist it, it didn't open.

It was the last doll.

It was her.

She gasped.

She was shown with her hair in a ponytail, and wearing a brown jacket with white fur, brown mittens, beige earmuffs, and brown boots with white fur.  
>They were the clothes she usually wore when going out in the cold Russian weather.<br>She turned the doll over and she was shown wearing a matching dress to her Mami and Mama.  
>Her hair was loose and in their usual loose curls, small flowers decorated her hair as well as a wreathe, similar to her Mami's.<p>

When she looked up at her family she had a huge smile.

Her family smiled back.

She put the dolls back into each other and put them carefully on the table.

Ivan spoke first, "They are called Matryoshka dolls."

"Thank you so much! I love it!" Felicia said, her face shining with happiness.  
>"You're welcome Lubochka."<br>"It was from all three of us." Katyusha said, "Ivan did the painting and Nataliya carved the dolls out, I helped with the painting but I'm not as good."  
>"I love it!" Felicia shouted.<p>

"Well, little one, open the rest of your gifts." Ivan said pushing one of the few presents left.

He ended up pushing a lumpy gift to her.  
>Felicia grabbed it and ripped the paper.<p>

"Ah!" Felicia gave a little shriek and dropped the clothe doll to cover her eyes.

Katyusha giggled, while Nataliya picked up the doll.  
>"It's Baba Yaga!" Felicia cried out.<br>"It's just a doll Lubochka." Nataliya said putting it back on the table.  
>"Oh." Felicia said peeking from her fingers.<br>She slowly put her hands down and picked up the doll.

"This year I will teach you the art of wood carving and we can make a house for her like in the myth's with the chicken legs and the fence of skulls." Nataliya said.  
>Felicia smiled weakly at the thought of Baba Yaga's house until she fully processed her Mama's words.<p>

"Wait you'll teach me how to carve wood?" Felicia said instantly brightening at the thought.

"Da."

"I'll also start teaching you how to sew and embroider and maybe help me in the garden." Katyusha said.

"And I see from those drawings of yours that you have a natural artistic gift. I'll start teaching you how to paint little one."

Felicia squealed in happiness.  
>"Thank you! Thank you!"<br>"One more gifts, little one." Ivan said chuckling.

Felicia grabbed the small gift.  
>When she pulled away the paper she saw what it was.<p>

A wooden Russian soldier.

Felicia gasped.

"Mama, Papa?" she said quietly.

They looked at her waiting for her to speak.

"Will you also teach me to fight? Like you guys? I want to be strong and brave!" Felicia shouted, determined to get what she wanted.

She clutched the wooden doll to her chest.

Katyusha shot them uneasy looks, while Nataliya and Ivan exchanged glances.  
>"I don't think it's a good idea." Ivan whispered to Nataliya.<br>"At least self-defense." Nataliya whispered back.  
>Ivan considered it.<br>"We'll see how she does with self-defense." Ivan said.  
>Nataliya nodded.<p>

"Okay Lubochka, but we have to see how you do with defending yourself first."

Felicia's eyes widened comically.

"Ve!~" Felicia said.

Ivan's eyebrows furrowed.

What was that?

He shrugged, deciding to ignore it for now, and went to hug Felicia along with Nataliya and Katyusha to wish her a happy birthday.  
>It had been five years since Nataliya had found her in the snow.<p>

She had been such a little baby.

Lovino opened his eyes and immediately wished he hadn't.  
>It had been five years since his baby sister had been lost.<br>He closed his eyes as the tears started.  
>The door to his house opened but he didn't bother to get up and check that it wasn't some ax murder.<br>"Brother."  
>Lovino looked up to see his only other siblings Marcello and Clement.<br>Marcello had his signature inner tube with him as well as a basket.  
>"Idiot. Why did you bring your inner tube with you?" Lovino said frowning, his eyes wet.<br>"That's what I said." Clement grumbled.  
>Marcello looked at his inner tube, his eyes also looked wet.<br>"I don't know."  
>Marcello put his inner tube and basket down.<br>He pulled a candle and candle holder from the basket as well as matches.  
>The candle was five colors.<br>Five different colors for each year she had been gone.  
>Lovino got up and sat at the small table where his brother had set up the candle and its holder.<br>Marcello lit the candle and put the box of matches back into the basket.  
>It looked so similar to the one they had found her in.<br>Clement took off his priest hat and moved to sit next to Marcello.  
>They began their vigil together<br>Lovino thought about the few months he had, had his little sister.__

_They had found the babe, not even a day old, in a basket near his house.  
><em>_She was wearing the white dress typical of a new nation.  
><em>_He brought her home to Marcello and Clement.  
><em>_They cared for her and had made an appointment with Arthur, with his 'magic' he could tell what nation this child was.  
><em>_They instantly grew fond of the sweet, giggly child, even though Clement tried to hide it with his grumpy attitude.  
><em>_Despite his rough, sour exterior Lovino openly adored his little sister._

  
>Lovino looked up, almost surprised to feel silent tears running down his face, to see Clement in a similar state, trying to comfort Marcello as Marcello choked on his sobs.<br>Lovino bowed his head as the tears started to flow rapidly.

_It had been almost two months until Arthur could come.  
><em>_He was unfortunately followed by that idiot Alfred.  
><em>_Arthur had gotten mad that Alfred had followed him, so he tried to 'magic' him away with his wand.  
><em>_It had been an accident but the Italian brothers still blamed them.  
><em>_The two had been so careless.  
><em>_The magic had been heading towards Alfred but he ducked at the last moment.  
><em>_It bounced off the window behind Alfred and hit the baby in Lovino's arms.  
><em>_Arthur wasn't sure how to bring her back.  
><em>_Pft, and he was supposed to be the 'expert' of 'magic'.  
><em>_The Italian brothers had screamed and screamed at them. Cursing, begging for them to bring her back, and threats of violence against Arthur and Alfred were heard.  
><em>_None were acted out, but the brothers all held the grudge towards the duo, always being especially cold and rude to them.  
><em>_The other nations were always confused when the duo said nothing, just looking at the ground guiltily.  
><em>_The other nations didn't know of her.  
><em>And now they never will.

Lovino put his head down on the table and openly sobbed, along with Marcello who had already broken down into sobs.

Clement was the only one holding it together.

But he would break too, soon.

They all missed their little sister.

Their baby sister.

Felicia.

The Northern half of Italy

* * *

><p><em>Do you know what's worth fighting for?<br>__When it's not worth dying for?  
><em>_Does it take your breath away and you feel yourself suffocating?  
><em>_Does the pain weigh out the pride?  
><em>_And you look for a place to hide?  
><em>_Did someone break your heart inside, you're in ruins._

_-Green Day - 21 Guns_

* * *

><p><strong>1: The dolls she opens are also called Russian nesting dolls, you start with one large doll and if you open it there is a smaller doll and so on and so on.<strong>

**2: ****Lovino- South Italy**

**Marcello- Seborga**

**Clements- Vatican City**

**3:The songs are what inspired the chapter**

**4: There have been 14 Popes named Clement**

**5: I got the name Marcello off of someone else**

**6: They are celebrating the day they found her because they don't know her real birthday.**

**7: Mama- Nataliya**

**Mami- Katyusha**

**Papa- Ivan**

**Cuore l'anima della  
><strong>so england and america were the ones who put her at russia's place, lovi doesnt know and it seems feli can remember some things

**In the last chapter she wasn't remembering things she was having a dream and since they are one Italy, her and Lovino were temporarily able to communicate. Lovino thought he was having a dream and Felicia wasn't sure what was happening because of her youth. That was the first and so far only time they communicated that way. Also that was the Roman Empire communicating with Felicia, like he does with Feliciano in the show only in her dreams. So Felicia was only remembering the part where she was in the snow. Lovino doesn't know where Felicia is, by this point the Italian brothers think she is dead, but they don't like thinking about it in that wasy.**


	4. Chapter 4

_The ripe currents, the cornflower in the field  
><em>_I do know every ear of rye in my motherland  
><em>_The clear sky is shining in the river from the bottom  
><em>_There are a lot of various things in the world, there is only one Belarus!  
><em>_Only one Belarus, only one Belarus!_

_How proud I am of you!  
><em>_My dear Belarus!_

_My homeland is clear and melodious!  
><em>_We are the best friends, Belarus and me!  
><em>_Who is more precious for whom, I am not going to dispute about that,  
><em>_We are resembling each other in everything, me and Belarus!  
><em>_Me and Belarus, me and Belarus!_

_How proud I am of you!  
><em>_My dear Belarus!_

_Come flying in the spring, as the geese are coming in,  
><em>_You will see, that your sadness will leave you and grief will leave you too  
><em>_If you hear the heart of Belarus.  
><em>_You'll love forever Belarus!_

_-__Даша__Карина__Алина__ - __Сердце__Беларуси__/Dasha Karina Alina - Sertse Belarusi_

* * *

><p>It was nearing her sixth birthday when Ivan finally found a solution.<p>

He was eating breakfast with Katyusha.

Nataliya and Felicia had already finished and Ivan had finally decided Felicia was ready to properly learn how to fight.  
>She was going to need it if she was going to be a soldier, and if his plan worked, she would definitely need it to face other nations.<p>

"Katyusha, I think I've finally figured something out." Ivan said moving his food around the plate.

"What is it brother?" Katyusha said, curious.

"Since all nations are properly accounted for, and represented, maybe she could represent a city. Like Moscow, or Minsk, or Kiev." He said staring at his plate.

Katyusha dropped her fork.

"Brother… Do you think it's possible? She could live with us for as long as our nations stand? As long as she is city?" Katyusha said, hopeful and excited.  
>"Yes, but, I'll have to ask Arthur and she'll probably have to sit in on meetings, and you know how Francis is. That's why she must learn how to fight." Ivan said.<br>"A-as much as I dislike the idea of her fighting, I think your right, especially if that works, and she can become a city." Katyusha said.  
>Ivan looked up to stare at her, "Especially if her city is under attack."<br>Katyusha nodded, "So, maybe it would be a better idea if she isn't a capital."  
>"I disagree, capitals are important, she would have a little more holding if she was an important city, probably stronger."<br>Katyusha reluctantly agreed with him.  
>"But, ah, which capital? Yours or Nataliya's?" Katyusha asked.<p>

She understood why it wouldn't be hers, her country was currently in debt and she wasn't as good as a fighter, her only weapons being her pitchfork and a simple handgun.

She would fight to the death for Felicia, but how good of a fight would that be? She was weaker, less ruthless than her siblings.

"I think it should be Moscow, the closest countries are me and Nataliya's, and the rest is just more of the vast land of Russia." Katyusha said.  
>"I agree, but Nataliya might prefer something else, so we shall see." Ivan said, going back to his breakfast.<p>

Katyusha watched him eat, a worried, yet slightly relieved look on her face.

If this worked, if only this worked.

"Okay my Lubochka." Nataliya said, "Today I'm going to start you out with the simplest weapon. A knife."

Nataliya pulled out a small knife and handed it to the young child.  
>"Okay you see that outline of a person?"<br>Nataliya pointed to the outline of a person crudely drawn with chalk.  
>Felicia nodded eyes wide with anxiety.<p>

This is what she wanted.

To be a soldier.

Right?

"Okay first I'm going to teach you how to stop a person from moving." Nataliya took her own knife out and made a mark on the calf of the legs.  
>"There. Make sure to cut deep and hard. And be as quiet as possible. You don't want to alert the person if you're sneaking up on them."<p>

Felicia gulped, but nodded.

"So like this."

Nataliya went back a few feet.  
>Turning to face the target she ran as silently as she could and made a slicing motion against the chalk outline.<br>There was a mark on the wall where she had cut.

"Your turn."

Felicia attempted to copy the movement.

After a few times Nataliya stopped her.

"Good. Now the vital areas. You want to hit these to kill a person."  
>Nataliya marked where important arteries were, where to stab a person from behind where their heart and spine would be hit, and how to slice one's neck as efficiently as possible in different positions.<p>

Felicia was shaken, but she steeled herself.

This was something she had to learn to be a soldier.

For Mother Russia.

"For Mother Russia." She said under her breath before attempting the moves Nataliya had shown her.

It was lunch when their training was done and they came down to where Ivan had taken a break from his work to talk to Katyusha who was cooking.

When Nataliya who was carrying Felicia came in they stopped talking.

Nataliya shot them suspicious glances, but chose to ignore the awkward silence, and put Felicia down on the floor.  
>"Felicia can you go get the embroidery we were working on and the red thread? After lunch I wish to continue working on it with you." Katyusha said.<br>"Da!" Felicia shouted getting up to get the fabric and thread. **(Yes!)**

As soon as she was gone Ivan spoke, "Sister I think I may have solved our problem."

"What?" Nataliya said.

"Nataliya, brother thinks, that Felicia could become a city. We would have to ask Arthur, and she might have to attend meetings, which means she would have to meet other countries."

Nataliya gasped, "But she would live as long as us, da?"  
>Ivan nodded.<p>

"But which city?" Ivan asked her.

"Moscow. We would surround her, so we could protect her." Nataliya said immediately.

Ivan nodded, "Then we are all at an agreement. Now it just depends on the other nations and Felicia herself."

They were quiet for a few minutes.

"What is taking that child so long? Brother will you go check on her? I would but dinner is almost ready." Katyusha asked breaking the silence.  
>"Of course." Ivan said, standing.<p>

He found Felicia in the study.

She was holding her embroidery piece and the thread but was distracted by the nesting dolls.  
>She was looking at the set she had gotten for her fifth birthday.<br>More specifically, the tiniest doll that her image was painted on.

"Felicia?"

She didn't move, after a few seconds though she spoke.

"I forgot that the background was red, green, and white."

"You love those colors, da?" **(Yes?)**

"Da…" **(Yes…)**

Suddenly she screamed, and started clawing at her back.  
>"No! No! Smettera! La mia città, la mia città! Roma, Roma! La mafia, la polizia! Smettera! Smettera!" She shouted. <strong>(Stop! My city, my city! Rome, Rome! The mafia! The police! Stop! Stop!)<br>**"Ah, Felicia what's wrong? Nataliya! Katyusha!" Ivan shouted, unsure of what was happening.  
>Felicia fell to the floor screaming in pain.<br>Her back was bleeding.

Nataliya and Katyusha rushed in and Katyusha gasped.  
>Katyusha quickly set to finding the wound and quickly used Felicia's now ruined shirt to stop the blood.<p>

She was unfortunately used to dressing her sibling's wounds after they fought in battle.

"She must've gotten the wound while training." Nataliya said.  
>Felicia calmed once the wound had stopped bleeding and snuggled into Katyusha's chest.<br>Katyusha was confused though; the wound appeared to have already scarred over.

About an hour later Ivan and Nataliya got messages.

_**Important! Meeting on Mafia activity. Recent attack in Rome! Meeting taking place in Rome, Italy.**_

"Katyusha will you be okay by yourself with Felicia? We will be gone for a few days." Ivan said staring at his phone.  
>"Da, I'll be fine." Katyusha said.<br>"A-are you guy's leaving?" Felicia asked with wide eyes.  
>"Da, little one." Ivan said as he rushed to go pack a bag.<br>"Don't worry Lubochka, we don't leave until tomorrow, and we won't be gone long." Nataliya said, also rushing to go pack her bag.  
>Felicia nodded and snuggled further into Katyusha's chest.<br>Katyusha smoothed her hair back.

That night while they were sitting next to the heart for warmth Ivan decided that this next meeting would be a good time to bring it up, most major nations would be there.

"Felicia, you know, how I represent Russia?" Ivan said.

Felicia looked up at him.

It wasn't a new concept to her. They had explained it to her before.

Felicia nodded.

"Well, how would you like to become a city? Moscow?" Ivan said.

Felicia brightened.

"Da! I want to be a part of Mother Russia!" Felicia said bouncing up and down.

Ivan chuckled. She was one of the first people to say that. Other than Nataliya of course.

"Da, it'll take some time but we want you to become part of Russia."

"I'll be patient then! Until I too can become part of Mother Russia!" Felicia said excitedly.  
>Felicia ran to hug her Papa and Ivan bent to pick her up.<p>

He held her gently in his arms until she dozed off.

Lovino sat as Arthur and Alfred and Francis argued over what to do about the mafia problem.  
>Eventually it got to where Francis was groping a flustered, embarrassed, and furious Arthur, and Alfred was laughing while he punched the pervert off of Arthur.<p>

Finally Louise stood.

"You idiots! Shut up! We are here to discuss a problem. So I am going to go around the table and everyone tell me their opinion, any comments will be said when a hand  
>is raised and I call on you. God I have to act like you are children!"<p>

Louise was one of the handful of girl countries.

Lovino scoffed to himself, it was too bad she looked like such a boy and she was such a una brutta. Oh, and the fact that she was scary as hell, a potato bastard, and most of the boy nations are apparently gay…

Louise went around the table and most of what people said was generally uninteresting.

Until they got to Ivan.

"I have something I want to discuss, but it is irrelevant to the mafia topic." Ivan said standing up.  
>Louise sighed, "Go ahead."<p>

"I have someone who I would like to represent a city in my country." Ivan said.

The meeting room was silent.

"What!" Arthur said standing.

Louise chose to ignore the fact he didn't raise his hand.

"Ah, Arthur, I need you to give her the spirit of Moscow." Ivan said looking to him, with his usual innocent smile.  
>Nataliya suddenly stood behind Arthur, her knife against his throat.<br>"You'll do it." Nataliya demanded pressing the knife harder against Arthur's throat.

Ivan took out his pipe.

"We won't take no for an answer, da?" Ivan said. **(Yes?)  
><strong>Arthur was practically cowering in his seat.

"D-da. I mean yes!" Arthur said shaking. **(Yes?)**

Hell, they were scary.

Ivan and Nataliya turned towards the others.

"Any objections?"

Nobody said anything.

"Good." Ivan said, him and Nataliya sat down.

Louise shook her head to rid herself of her shock.  
>"Meeting dismissed." She called.<p>

Felicia was in bed, but she felt lonely. Knowing that her Mama, and Papa were gone made the house feel empty.  
>She slipped out of bed and walked to her Mami's room.<br>"Mami?" she called out.  
>"Yes Felicia?" a sleepy voice called back.<br>"Can I sleep with you? I'm scared." Felicia called.  
>Katyusha sat up.<br>"Sure Felicia."  
>Felicia climbed up the bed and snuggled into her Mami's side, while her Mami wrapped her arm around her.<br>"I miss Mama."  
>"I miss her too."<br>"And Papa."  
>Katyusha chuckled.<br>"I miss him too."

That night Nataliya couldn't sleep knowing how far away her Lubochka is.

* * *

><p><em>An old orchard missing me at daybreak<br>__Is dropping tears of golden dew.  
><em>_I'm returning to my home  
><em>_And I don't want to live otherwise._

_Getting tired of a foreign land  
><em>_Incomprehensible and unfamiliar,  
><em>_I'm returning to my home.  
><em>_As always, I feel good at home._

_In the morning sky a new day dawns.  
><em>_You are my home and my shore, my Russia.  
><em>_Wherever I go, while the Earth spins, I believe  
><em>_That you, Russia, are my shore and my home._

Витас - Берега России / Vitas - Shores of Russia

* * *

><p><strong>Baichan: I'm sorry for the erratic spacing but I did it on purpose<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

_Throw your pennies  
><em>_In a wishing well  
><em>_Might get heaven  
><em>_And you might get hell  
><em>_Thunder, lightning  
><em>_Ain't that kinda frightening_

_Saints and sinners  
><em>_On the road to fame  
><em>_Ain't no winner  
><em>_'Til we know your name  
><em>_Black white, flashlight  
><em>_Show me what you got  
><em>_Have a good bite out of the city  
><em>_Take a long cold look at the world  
><em>_You might crash, burn  
><em>_Either way you'll learn  
><em>_Good bite out of the city_

_- Amy Diamond – Welcome to the City_

* * *

><p>It was on her seventh birthday that Felicia would become Moscow.<p>

The date was set after a year of meetings to discuss it.

It had been Ivan who requested the date.

The three Italian brothers had immediately protested, even Marcello.

Except for Alfred and Arthur, no one else had any problems with the date, especially since they refused to tell anybody the reason.

Ivan approached Arthur the day before it was going to happen.

Arthur, I have a request for you." Ivan said after everyone had left.  
>"What is it Ivan?" Arthur said, sounding short in his exasperation.<p>

Around this time the Italian brother's glares and his guilt weighed heavily on him, and now he had to give someone the spirit of a city?

"The person I'm bringing is, female." Ivan said hesitantly.  
>"Okay." Arthur said.<br>He _was_ surprised, he really had no reason to believe the person wouldn't be a girl, but he had thought by the way Ivan had talked about her, she was a man.

"Let's keep that between us." Ivan said with his creepy smile.  
>Arthur's eyes widened but he nodded.<p>

Now he understood, Ivan, had talked about her as if she was a man.

He kind of understood who would want to leave a girl around nations like France, or Spain?

Though he honestly wasn't sure how much of a gender change would help.

At home Nataliya was wrapping Felicia hair and putting an ushanka over it.  
>"Mama, I look like a boy!" Felicia shouted looking at her reflection.<br>Nataliya almost chuckled at how proud she looked.  
>Nataliya looked in the mirror, when her Lubochka had been just a tiny babe her skin had been tanned.<p>

Now her skin was pale with only a slight, natural tan.

The few strands of hair that peeked out from under the ushanka were a beautiful brown.

The corners of her mouth lifted.

Her Lubochka started to resemble them, even if it was just slightly, once she was Moscow she would look like Ivan.

"Da, my Lubochka, we want the other nations to think you're a boy." Nataliya said, smoothing her adopted daughter's clothes.  
>"Do you remember the lessons I gave you, about defending yourself?" Nataliya asked.<p>

Felicia nodded.

Nataliya handed her a knife.

"Don't let any nations touch you unless we tell them it's okay. Always keep it visible." Nataliya said.

Felicia took the knife and nodded.

Nataliya took out a gun.

"Remember when I taught you how to use a gun?" Nataliya asked.

Felicia hesitantly took the weapon and nodded.

"Keep this on you. Use it if you need to." Nataliya said.

Felicia nodded.

"C'mon, we're going now." Nataliya said, heading to the garage.

Felicia followed her.

The meeting was taking place in Moscow so they didn't have far to drive.  
>When they walked in to the meeting room, it was packed.<br>Everyone was curious as to who Ivan wanted to become Moscow so badly, even the Italian trio who were sulking in a corner were curious.

Who was so special?

Nataliya and Felicia were the last to arrive.

Everyone turned to look.

They were surprised to see an adorable child cowering behind Nataliya's legs.

"Lubochka, come out and say hi to everyone." Katyusha said.

The child nodded and walked out from behind Nataliya's legs.

About five nations awed.

"Aw, what an adorable child!" Francis called out running towards the child.  
>"Aw, how cute!" shouted, Antonio following suit.<br>"Kseseseses, vital regions." Mumbled Gilbert creeping up from behind them.

They all crowded around the child, until finally the child pulled a knife out.

"G-get away from me!" the child demanded.

The three backed away, shocked.

The child was in a stance similar to Nataliya's, but you could see she was nervous.

After they had backed away she immediately ran to Nataliya.

"Mama!"

Mama?

Nataliya picked up the child and bounced slightly to comfort the child while glaring viciously at the three nations.

"You three will stay away from her."

A lot of the nation's felt their blood freeze in their veins.

How could that child have such an effect on the soulless Nataliya?

They all nodded except for Gilbert who just scoffed and turned.  
>Louise of course came from behind him and hit him in the head.<p>

"Dummkopf!" she hissed while Gilbert rubbed his head.

Elizaveta pulled out her frying pan.

How dare they mess with such a cute little boy! And Katyusha's relative no less!

Lubochka turned when she heard a feminine voice.  
>She looked to her Mama, and pointed down.<p>

"Please?" she whined.

Nataliya put her down.

"Can I talk to them?" the child whispered, pointing to Elizabeta and Louise.

Nataliya thought about it for a moment.  
>When her Lubochka came into the family she started to realize how important family was, and Elizabeta was Katyusha's friend, plus Louisa was always very mature at<br>meetings.

It would also be good for the child to have her own allies.

Nataliya nodded.

Elizabeta stopped beating the three men with her frying pan when she felt a small pull on her military uniform pants.  
>She looked to see the small child staring back up at her with wide eyes.<br>She smiled.

"Yes, dear?" she asked putting the frying pan down.

"A-are you a soldier?" the child asked.

Elizabeta looked at the child confused before nodding.  
>The child's eyes got wider if possible, with an intake of breath."Th-that's amazing! And you beat those guys up with no effort! You're amazing!" the child gushed, his eye's full admiration and wonder.<p>

Elizabeta blushed and giggled.

"Thank you!"

Nataliya smiled warmly.

Then Lubochka turned to Louise, "And you! You stood up to that creepy guy!"  
>Louise flushed, unused to praise.<br>"Are you a soldier too?" the little boy asked.

Louise nodded.

His smile grew.

"Wow!" he stared up at them, eyes full of wonder and admiration.

Then he saw Louise's hair.

He pouted and pulled at a strand of his own hair.  
>"I wish my hair was like yours and Mama's."<br>But then he looked to Elizabeta.  
>"That's okay! My hair looks like yours! And you're really pretty!" the little boy said cheeks ruddy with excitement.<br>Elizabeta awed to herself and blushed.

Prussia who was half conscious was almost jealous of the little boy.

That little flirt! He was a natural! What was he Italian?

"Lubochka. Are you ready?" Ivan called from where he had been talking with England.

The child nodded.

England took her hand and led her to the circle he had drawn in chalk.  
>He guided her into the center and started his incantations.<br>The chalk circle started to glow.  
>The child watched fascinated, as did most of the other nations.<p>

Then the child started to twitch.

He let out a horse cry, and started clawing at his throat.

"No!" the child cried.

The light flickered and faded and the child collapsed.

Everyone was stunned and shocked as the child writhed on the ground.

Nataliya was the first to come to be pulled out of her shock.

"What did you do?" she shouted in England's face.  
>Ivan's face pulled into a terrifying frown, and he practically growled as he pulled out his pipe.<br>England himself was stunned.

It couldn't be, could it?

He ran over to the child and took off his hat.

Brown curly hair fell down to the child's waist.

Some off the nations gasped.

A girl?

England gasped.

That curl!  
>Her hair color!<br>Even her skin seemed suspiciously tanned!

Wh-what he had sensed, was that…  
>England stood picking up the child.<p>

"She already is a personification!"

Ivan froze and dropped his pipe.  
>"What?" he said.<br>Nataliya lowered her knife slowly.

"She is the personification of North Italy!"

The Italian brothers were immediately alarmed.

Lovino ran to girl.

She was panting heavily and clawing weakly at her throat.  
>He took off her scarf for her.<br>Then he wrapped his arms around the girl and started crying.  
>Marcello and Clement started sobbing themselves.<p>

Their sorellina had returned to them.

Nataliya growled.

"Get away from my child!" she shouted raising her knife.

"She's ours!" Lovino growled.

The child started crying and hitting and kicking Lovino with her tiny fists and feet.  
>She kicked and pulled at him until Lovino let her go.<p>

"Mama!" she yelled running to Nataliya.

Nataliya got on one knee to catch her child in her arms.

"I'm here baby." Nataliya whispered to the child as tears ran down both their faces.

Lovino snapped.

"She's not your child! She is my sister! The one Arthur and Alfred lost!" he shouted.

"In the snow? That's where I found her! Almost dead!" Nataliya shouted.

"It was those two idiots fault! She is the Northern half of Italy! Where it's sunny and green! You can't keep her in this snowy wastela-"

_THUNK_

Lovino gasped and fell to the ground.

Ivan was behind him holding his pipe, with a creepy smile on his face.

"She is my daughter, we raised her." He said calmly.  
>"B-but she is our sister!" Marcello called out from behind Clement.<br>Nataliya glared at him holding her daughter in one hand and her knife in another, even Katyusha had her pitchfork at ready.

Suddenly the child screamed.

Her skin burned.  
>She felt like she was on fire.<br>Burning, burning.  
>Her skin suddenly felt like it had frozen and she started to shudder.<br>Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and everything went black.

Nataliya's eyes were wide as her child started seizing in her arms.

Clement snatched her from Nataliya.

He placed her on her side and took Marcello's inner tube from him.  
>He placed under it under her head.<p>

"That's all we can do." He said backing away slightly.

Nataliya clutched at her chest.

She felt like her heart was breaking, her only child was having a seizure!

"W-will she be okay?" Nataliya asked Clement.  
>"Probably." Clement said.<br>Nataliya nodded and silent tears ran down her face.

She slid to the floor.

Katyusha and Ivan came up to her joined her on the floor.  
>Clement went to go sit by them and Marcello reluctantly joined them.<p>

When the child finally stopped seizing, Clement sighed.

He looked around, the other nations had poured out into the hall, all except Arthur and Alfred.

"I'm sorry." Arthur whispered.

Alfred nodded.

"Why did she start seizing?" Clement asked, eyes narrowed.  
>"Her body can't handle the two spirits." Arthur said staring at the child.<br>Clement whipped his head toward Arthur.

If she wasn't Italian, they would have little to no claim to her.

Then he turned to look at the Braginski's.

"What's her name?" he asked.

Ivan looked up.

"Felicia Lubochka Braginski." Ivan said.

The Felicia part was butchered by the Russian accent.  
>"In Italian it's pronounced, Fe-li-sia." He said.<br>Ivan nodded, looking back at his child.

Then it hit Clement.

Feli_cia Lubochka Braginski._

Braginski.

Her last name was Braginski.

* * *

><p><em>Years ago when I was younger<em>  
><em>I kinda liked a girl I knew<em>

_She was mine and we were sweethearts_  
><em>That was then, but then it's true<em>

_I'm in love with a fairytale even though it hurts_  
><em>'Cause I don't care if I lose my mind I'm already cursed<em>

_- Alexander Rybak – Fairytale_


	6. Chapter 6

_Realize we spend our lives living in a culture of fear.  
><em>_Stand to salute; say thanks to the man of the year.  
><em>_How did we all come to this? (You can't define me or justify greed)  
><em>_This greed that we just can't resist! (Resist!)_

_Tell me now, what have we done? We don't know.  
><em>_I can't allow what has begun to tear me down,  
><em>_Believe me now, we have no choice left with our  
><em>_Backs against the wall!  
><em>

_And now we're all to blame,  
><em>_We've gone too far,  
><em>_From pride to shame,  
><em>_We're hopelessly blissful and blind  
><em>_When all we need  
><em>_Is something true  
><em>_To believe,  
><em>_Don't we all?  
><em>_Everyone, everyone,  
><em>_We will fall_.

_- Sum 41 – We're All to Blame_

Nataliya picked up her daughter and followed Arthur into another room.  
>Her poor little Lubochka had coughed blood up in there.<br>She had wiped her face off and watched as the seizures stopped then picked her up as Arthur gestured for them to follow him.  
>She sat on the floor with her poor baby rocking her as Felicia cried softly.<br>Marcello sat in front of her and not even her best glare could send him away.  
>"Fai la nanna rosallina, Fai la nanna bambonlia~" he started singing softly.<br>He reached out a hand and ran it through her hair.  
>Felicia quieted.<br>Once everyone was in (including Lovino whom Ivan had to carry in and then proceeded to drop on the floor, much to the protest of Clement who was then silenced with a glare) they started the 'meeting'.  
>"She is my daughter! You can't take her away." Nataliya started out with immediately.<br>Clement sighed, "As much as I hate to say this… You're right."  
>All three of the Eastern countries looked at him.<br>Marcello nodded, "You raised her. But that doesn't change the fact that she _is _our sister."  
>"You can visit." Nataliya mumbled.<br>Clement and Marcello looked at each other.  
>"We were thinking… More along the lines of her coming and staying with us for a while. And, well remember she is part of Italy so Lovino actually has more right to her than anyone-"<br>At his next words the three Eastern countries drew in sharp breathe.

"they are one Italy. They have the same heart."

It…s… so..co…ld

Whe…re.. ar….e…yo.u?

Wh…o… a..re..y..ou?

Italy

Felicia opened her eyes to see a beautiful body of water spanning out in front of her.  
>Beneath her feet green grass moved slightly in the wind.<br>She lifted her hand up to see it tanned.  
>"Ciao." A voice said from behind her. <strong>(Ciao)<br>**"Ciao." She whispered softly turning to see a man.  
>He approached her.<br>He took her hand and brought it to his lips.  
>Amber eyes seemed to glow from their frame of dark drown lashes.<br>She stared wide eyed at him.  
>He seemed so familiar.<br>The man took her near a pond that seemed to have come from nowhere.  
>She looked down into the reflective surface.<br>A sharp intake of breath.  
>A woman was shown wearing what appeared to be like a white Greek robe.<br>The man was wearing something similar.  
>He placed a wreath of flowers on her head.<br>He wore one of green leafs and fruit.  
>In the pond the woman seemed to be about 20.<br>She stared.  
>The woman stared back.<br>Delicate features, large amber eyes, beautiful wavy hair blowing freely in the wind with that one curl standing out proudly.  
>She moved one of her tan hands.<br>The woman's hand moved.  
>The man wrapped his arms around the woman's middle and she felt arms tighten around her.<br>His nose nuzzled the woman's neck.  
>She felt something brush her neck.<br>Was she the woman?  
>Felicia was frozen in the man's embrace.<br>The man with dark brown hair and amber eyes.  
>Oh, he had a curl too, but it stuck up higher than hers.<br>He raised his head and she thought she saw a flash of desperation in his eye's as his arms tightened around her  
>"Ciao ciao sorella." He breathed in her ear. <strong>(Bye-bye sister.)<br>**With that shots rang out in the air and the two fell into the pond.

I...ca..n'..t…b..re..ath..e.

Nataliya had stared eyes wide when he said.  
>The same heart?<br>She looks down at her baby.  
>Rome, of course.<br>Two identical screams rang out in the silence.  
>Romano was the first up, ripping his light jacket off and trying to remove his shirt.<br>Felicia was clawing at her shoulder.  
>"<em><strong>Roma! La mia cittia!" <strong>_They both shouted simultaneously. **(Rome! My City!)  
><strong>They were both crying as a wound opened in two places on their bodies.  
>One on their left shoulder.<p>

And one over their heart.

Clement was the first to one to take action.  
>He approached his brother and held him down as he struggled to claw at the wound.<br>He turned his head towards Nataliya.  
>"Keep her down! Don't let her scratch herself it will only make it worse!"<br>Nataliya nodded and held Felicia's arms down.

From the hallway, wide blue eye's that had been forever frozen looked in at the ensuing chaos.  
>Something in her stirred to see such an innocent face in pain, and a cruel smile stretched across lips.<br>The color of her eyes, so blue, were drowned in a sadistic red.  
>She enjoyed, no <em>relished<em> the pained sounds that were ripped from the child's mouth and the way she writhed on the ground trying to break free of Nataliya's hold.  
>She watched as something similar to the shade of red her irises currently reflected dripped on the floor.<br>The sound of angry shouting from the room tore her out of her sadistic thoughts.  
>The woman blinked and her eyes flickered back to their usual blue color.<br>She turned from the door and ran until she was outside the building, her combat boots resounding down the hall.  
>Deep shame filled her and once she was outside and she found a trashcan to empty the contents of her stomach.<br>That child was only a girl!  
>Louise breathed in the cool air from outside to calm her rapidly beating heart.<br>Felicia the poor child was such a young girl.  
>Louise shuddered as she recalled the sick enjoyment she got from the injured child.<p>

Crying.

In pain.

She gagged and shuddered as her stomach emptied itself as she was repulsed  
>How could she prey on a child like that? She wasn't Francis.<br>Felicia was just so young.

The two siblings breathing slowed as their wounds scarred over.  
>Felicia, when released from Nataliya's grip had crawled over to Lovino.<br>Her head was pressed on his chest; her ear clearly heard his heart.  
>Her own pounded in unison.<br>She was comforted by Lovino's embrace and as the world melted into a black lack of consciousness she snuggled further into the warmth.

Lovino looked at his little sister.  
>Her finger's, so small gripped what was left of his torn shirt.<br>Their clothes were covered in dry blood some was in her hair.  
>He pulled her tighter to his chest and rested his head on hers.<br>She was so tiny.

Arthur looked over at Nataliya who was having troubles not crying.  
>She managed it though.<br>Maybe it was because her sister was already sobbing her heart out.  
>It was supposed to be such a wonderful day.<br>Nataliya closed her eyes and inhaled.  
>She was not weak.<br>She would not cry.  
>Nataliya bit her lip as a few stray tears leaked onto her pale face.<br>She quivered and clenched her fists.  
>Her baby.<br>Her little baby was in pain.  
>Her little baby was being taken away.<br>Arthur watched as Nataliya dropped to the floor and pulled her knees to her chest.  
>She folded her arms and hid her face.<br>He watched her small form shudder in suppressed sobs.  
>He turned away and closed his eyes remembering when he had done this to another family.<p>

Seven years ago.

Gilbert was searching for his little sister.  
>He had seen what taken place in the doorway.<p>

The twisted smirk.  
>The red eyes.<p>

He found her against a trashcan staring blankly at nothing.  
>He scrunched up his nose as he caught the scent of something pungent and ranci-<br>"You puked?" he asked squatting in her line of sight.  
>"Leave me alone bruder. I'm not in the mood to talk."<br>"Oi! West, your bruder might know more than you think.  
>Louise squinted her eyes and looked at her brother's face away from the empty space her eyes had been looking at.<br>"Vas?"  
>"Sadistic. Cruel." He said in a low voice.<br>Louise's face lit up a shade of red so comically Gilbert couldn't help but chuckle.  
>"Ksesesese! You know what I'm talking about?"<br>Louise bowed her head in shame.  
>"I-I'm s-sick!" she said behind her hands.<br>Gilbert maneuvered himself so he was sitting next to her.  
>"No. You're just German." He said staring in the space that had taken his little sister's attention.<br>Louise groaned and shook her head.  
>"She is just a child!" Louise whispered harshly, snapping her head to look at Gilbert.<br>"Ksesesese. She is a nation. She'll grow. She'll stop aging." He paused in his speech for dramatic effect, turning his head to stare in his sister's eyes, "You can have her when she's your age."  
>Louise seemed slightly reassured by his words.<p>

Felicia would grow up.

She would eventually be her own age.

Louise smiled.  
>"Kseseses! They are always better young though."<br>Moment ruined.  
>Louise stood quickly and threw the thrash can at him.<br>"Ew! You threw-up in that!"

_You're wrong, wrong.  
><em>_Are we wrong, wrong?  
><em>_You're wrong, wrong.  
><em>_Are we wrong, wrong?_

_The tombstones were waiting  
><em>_They were half-engraved  
><em>_They knew it was over  
><em>_Just didn't know the date  
><em>_  
>And I cast a spell over the west to make you think of me<br>__The same way I think of you  
><em>_This is a love song in my own way_

_-Fall Out Boy – Beat the Doldrums_


	7. Chapter 7

_I find the map and draw a straight line_  
><em>Over rivers, farms, and state lines<em>  
><em>The distance from here to where you'd be<em>  
><em>It's only finger-lengths that I see<em>

_I touch the place_  
><em>Where I'd find your face<em>  
><em>My fingers in creases<em>  
><em>Of distant dark places<br>_

_- Snow patrol - Set Fire to the Third Bar_

* * *

><p>Felicia clings to her Mama's skirts fingers twisting in the deep blue fabric. She wants <em>goryachiy shokolad<em>**(hot chocolate)** and _Cabbage Pirozhki._

Hands shaking she whispers this to her Mama as she stares at the strange men.

One says he's _a part of her._

"_I don't want to go with them." she whispers in her _native _tongue._

Her Mama wraps her arms around her, face cold as it's features work up an ice smooth glare.

"_You don't have to, Lubochka."_

Felicia is frightened, they're going to take her away. Away from Mother Russia and falling snow. Miles away from her family and home. Away from the little box of sunflowers she watches her Papa tend to even as the cold makes them wither and the closet of furs and hat and scarves made with love.

Blinking she stops shaking and cuddles further towards her Mama.

The one who claims to be apart _(ItaliaRomanoItalia)_ of her approaches her, pale and shaking almost as much as her, blood still seeping out of bandages that match her own. Her little training kicks in and she categorizes his injuries and the way his joints seem to creak in pain. It helps settle her nerves, even as they spark again when he slowly holds out a hand.  
>It unnerves her more than white on red because she recognizes him. In dreams that were <em>never <em>real, in whispered words slipping in with her Russian and Belarusian, and constant cravings for pasta.

"Felicia." he says, eyes knowing and hurt and open.

She flinches back, her own eyes _(just alike, identical) _closed and guarded, scared and filled with recognition.

Sighing he moves off the chair given to him and sits, criss cross in front of her.

Her Mama's grip tightens on her arm.

"_Ciao, parli italiano?" __**(Do you speak Italian?)**_

"_Nyet." _she says, hardening herself, denying it with all she has.

She was raised filled with the snow and cold of Russia that she saw in her parents eyes. She will carry their burdens and carry on the hold of Russia.

Scowling softly he leans on one arm, head in hand.

"_Bugia." __**(Lie)**_

She frowns petulantly, looking up at her Mama.

"_He called me a liar!" _she whines in Russian.

Her Mama places a hand on her head, glare softening.

"_Don't whine." _Nataliya corrects.

Felicia stares at her mother for a few moments.

"_I want to go home." _she states sadly.

Bending down Nataliya opens her arms and Felicia falls into them.

Standing with her daughter cradled in her arms Nataliya glares at the non-soviet occupants.

"Are you done terrorizing my child?" she asks sharply, voice edged in accent.

Lovino stands, too fast because he almost stumbled into Nataliya if not for her taking a few graceful steps back.

"What, are you just going to take her home and disappear in snow?" he says angrily.

Nataliya's lip curls as she clutches Felicia closer.

"You have _no right!"_

"I have every right!"

They glare and Felicia peeks out to look between them.

Lovino calms and digs through his pockets. A charm he's carried around with him is pulled. A daisy that's as white and fresh as it was the day it was picked seven years ago.

Felicia tenses then scrambles out of her mothers hold. A rush of words crowd to her lips as she sees it. She refuses them as her Mama controls her fall letting her drop.

"_Eto moye." _she whispers softly.

"In _italiano." _he says sternly.

"T-that's mine." she repeats in the English she practised.

"_Italiano!"_ he demands.

"Romano." Clement says with a hard look, reprimanding him.

Lovino ignores him, sight dead set on Felicia.

"_Che è moi, che è moi, cheèmoi -" _she gasps, tears welling uncontrollably in her eyes, before continuing, eyes glued to the familiar flower as her lips moved.

Lovino holds it out and Felicia takes it in her fingers, soft petals making her small chest cavity quiver uncontrollably.

"Your middle name was -"

"Daisy." she says plainly, saying the word like it was any other word even as her fingers close reverently shielding the flower.

"It's charmed." Arthur said, tilting his head from his corner.

Lovino whips his head in sync with Nataliya to glare at him.

"What the hell does that mean bastard?" Lovino hisses out.

"How old is that flower?"

Lovino's eyes narrow.

"We found it on her."

Arthur nods and straightens his back, but doesn't dare leave the corner.

"It's a small part of her, like America's glasses." he says pointing to the sleeping nation who decided being unconscious was easier than dealing with anyone.

Lovino nods, accepting the knowledge he already understood on a basic level. Nataliya though stares at the white petals peaking out from between the cage of tiny fingers.

"_It's mine." _Felicia tells her.

Nataliya is close to biting her lip and her fingers twitch as everything suddenly feels too constricting and painful and heavy.

That was Italian.

"_I don't know what you're saying." _she responds in Russian.

* * *

><p>They stay at a hotel, one all nations use. Felicia is in Nataliya's arms, daisy still cradled in her hands, Ivan follows, towering over anyone who dares to show their face while Katyusha trails behind dejectedly, sobs bubbling up to the surface.<p>

Clement, Marcello, and Lovino watch as they take the elevator to the floor exactly two stories above theirs. Men were being called in to monitor their room, more than usual.

"No one enters or leaves that room without me knowing." Lovino tells the security guards, loyal to their country from birth.

Once they enter the room Nataliya sits in one of the plush chairs, Felicia nestled on her lap. Felicia opens her hands carefully. The daisy seems to glow in her presence, refreshing her, making her skin appear golden near the almost shine.

"I can see him." she whispers bitterly, eyes searching beyond the white petals, looking deeper.

"Who, Lubochka?" Nataliya whispers, running a hand through her daughter's hair.

"Nonno."

Nataliya smiles softly at the mention of her daughter's imaginary friend.

"Oh, is he singing a song, or entering a battle majestically? Is he painting or making spaghetti?"

Felicia shakes her head.

"He's dieing."

Nataliya sighs presses a quick kiss to her young child's head.

"I'm sorry Lubochka."

Felicia trembles.

"He is dieing, scarred and battle worn."

A tan finger traces a petal that stretches away from the yellow center.

"Rome falls."

Nataliya's eyes widen slightly and she swallows down the shakes and gasps.

"A legacy and a country is left."

She closes her small hands around the daisy again.

"That country is _weak_. It's legacy is art and agriculture. It flourishes. It is defeated and broken apart."

Felicia drops the daisy and turns to her Mama, eyes desperate and wanting. Chest trembling.

"I don't want to be weak."

* * *

><p>Katyusha and Ivan go to the bedroom with two large beds and they look at each other.<p>

Katyusha falls into her brother, sobs racking her body and tears flooding her eyes.

"What do we do Ivan?" she asks.

Ivan sighs and pats her back, quiet while she cries.

"What do we do?" she repeats.

Ivan feels his heart breaking and falling into itself.

"What do we do?" he repeats.

"Do we do what's best? Do we keep her? Do we send her away?"

Pulling away from her he looks at his sister, one of the two people he trusted.

"What's best?" he whispers softly, brushing a hand through his emotionally worn and hard worked sister.

They had been abandoned in the snow, alone and cold withonly each other. He would never do that to Felicia but he couldn't promise that. Some claimed the soviet siblings had been made out of ice and it almost pains him to not be able to reject the idea.

_I wonder if my country was filled with sunflowers if people would like me more?_

On the other hand they loved Felicia and Felicia loved them. She was family and for the longest time family was all they had.

The question wasn't even if they could but if they would, tearing people down to nothing was a specialty.

Would family destroy her or save her?

* * *

><p><em>The water is warm, <em>  
><em>but it's sending me shivers.<em>  
><em>A baby is born, <em>  
><em>crying out for attention. <em>  
><em>Memories fade, <em>  
><em>like looking through a fogged mirror <em>  
><em>Decision to decisions are made and not bought <em>  
><em>But I thought, <em>  
><em>this wouldn't hurt a lot. <em>  
><em>I guess not.<br>_

_- MGMT - Kids_

* * *

><p><strong>Baichan: Hey lookie lookie a chapter. Sorry for the really long delay<strong>


End file.
